Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kirsten Bradford M.S.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kirsten, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I am the Founder and President of 4TheGirls Social, a nonprofit in the DFW serving black women 25-35 through education, training, and social connections. I believe that women in this age group think that they’re “failing” or “behind in life,” when they just need more data to make more informed decisions.

I was 18, moving away from my hometown, thinking I was taking a gap year to lay the groundwork for my media career before starting college. Life happens, and by the end of my gap year, I found out I was pregnant. With no degree and no real plan, I realized very quickly, “I better get it together.”

I struggled throughout my entire pregnancy, both physically, emotionally, and relationally, only to cross the finish line as a single parent. Just as I felt depleted because this wasn’t the life I planned, I held my baby boy and realized, “I’m going to get it right for you.”

I started nursing school three months postpartum because everyone around me said it was a “safe career,” unlike a career in media. Then I took a communications course, rocked the project, and my professor Jalisa Jones said, “You need to tell everyone around you that you’re not meant to be a nurse and you’re going to help people in a different way.”

That pivotal moment began to ignite a new flame within me. I quit nursing and enrolled at Dallas College. I graduated from there in 2019, my first degree after having a child in 2016. Then one graduation led to another, I graduated from the University of North Texas at Dallas with a degree in Communication and Technology. Where my first job after graduation paid more than a first-year nurse, and it was in SOCIAL MEDIA. Which shocked and hushed so many people around me.

I went to therapy and realized that the only thing that can stop me from getting everything I’ve ever wanted is ME. I re-read old tweets where I knew I was going to go to Southern Methodist University. I found old journal entries from when I was pregnant saying, “I wish I had applied to go there.” I looked at my life and said, “Why not try?”

I tried. I got in. I had the most incredible and transformative year of my life at the school of my dreams. I always knew I’d do it, even if I didn’t know how.

Throughout my tenure as a student and as a single parent, I created my village. I had people who helped to see that I made every big dream a big reality. That commitment to my success made me reflect and appreciate everyone I had in my life but it also made me wonder, where would I have been without this? Moreover, what happens to the women without this type of support? That was when I decided to start 4TheGirls Social.

I wanted to make a sisterhood of women in a world where black women are often pitted against each other. I wanted to create a safe space for resources and knowledge exchanges. Really, I was taught a long time ago by my mentor that “Images shape your reality,” I wanted not just to be an image but also a resource. I had a vision to embody Ubuntu, “I am because we are,” community, unity, that we need each other to become the best version of self. All of the things I learned along my scholastic journey, I poured into this organization and we have served so many women and families since and I am so thankful.

Kirsten, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Kirsten “Sévon” Bradford, M.S., is an accomplished digital strategist and social media consultant with a strong educational background and extensive professional experience. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Technology from the University of North Texas at Dallas and went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Management from Southern Methodist University. With seven years in the digital strategy and social media consultancy field, Kirsten has honed her skills and expertise, making significant contributions to various projects and organizations.

Throughout her career, Kirsten has worked with prominent brands such as Sankofa Kitchen and HairLine Matters, where she played a key role in enhancing their digital presence and engagement. Her impressive portfolio includes working on projects that featured celebrities, including Jamal Adams of the Seattle Seahawks, showcasing her ability to manage high-profile campaigns and deliver outstanding results. Kirsten’s strategic vision and dedication to her craft have established her as a respected professional in the digital marketing industry.

In 2023, Kirsten founded 4theGirls Social, an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between education and socialization, creating an uplifting community for Black women in the DFW area. Since its inception in April 2023, 4theGirls Social has been serving women through various initiatives, including social events, seminars, and impactful scholarships and community programs. Under Kirsten’s leadership, the organization is expanding its efforts this year to reach and support more women, continuing to foster empowerment and connection within the community.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even when I worked in corporate America I knew that it was a stepping stone for me. I think one of the most difficult things about being an entrepreneur is that until you “make it,” you appear to be wasting time. Public perception is something you have to battle with daily. It starts in your home then it goes into all your relationships, if you don’t have a “real job,” sometimes it’s better not to say what to do just get it done.

I remember preparing for my first-ever Christmas event for 4TheGirls, it’s our community event where we believe that images shape your reality even in fictional characters, so we have photos with black Santa. It’s a big thing. I remember telling my family and friends about it and I didn’t get the response I had hoped. For some, it was like “I love this, I’m extremely invested, whatever I can do to help.” For others, unfortunately, it was, “You’re always doing something.” Extremely condescending.

The nature of entrepreneurship is being able to pivot so if you’re not in it, you won’t get it. So here I was thinking I was doing something to change the community and some people in my camp think I was a joke that was no longer funny.

Well, the event came, it was a major success! We served over 150 families and had over 30 vendors including the young entrepreneurs of Duncanville High School. We gave over a dozen free prizes through our raffle, had over a dozen volunteers, over 250 photos with Santa, and an overall survey rating of 4.8 out of 5 on our first large event. I was so proud of myself and my board. Such a successful event with only 3 months of planning. It’s safe to say I haven’t heard a negative word since because I pulled that off the same week of my finals in my master’s program at SMU.

It was difficult but I knew it was possible. I am thankful to such an incredible board and so many wonderful volunteers. Nobody talks about how difficult it is to remain resilient. Some folks think that it’s this sense of unwavering optimism. Not hardly. I cried, I doubted, I got scared, I did everything but quit and that’s what resilience is. That even beyond the doubts you just keep going.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Early on in my journey, I learned not to reinvent the wheel and the problems of today are the problems of yesterday just in new packaging. My favorite escape became my biggest tool. I enjoy reading Jim Collins, Napolean Hill, John C. Maxwell, and Don Miguel Ruiz, and the book that I read annually is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Outside of reading, I enjoy sermons from Pasto Fredrick Douglass Haynes III, listening to Les Brown, and speaking with my friend and mentor Damond Fields.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.4thegirlssocial.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4thegirlssocial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4thegirlssocial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenbradford2016/

Image Credits

BrenShotYa Photography
Otis Clayborne II